Vatican City, Nov 29, 2010 / 20:02 pm
The president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue met with Pakistani President Ali Zardari on Nov. 25 to discuss the case of Asia Bibi.
Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old mother of four, was convicted of blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad and sentenced to death by hanging in the town of Sheikhupura, near the capital city, Lahore.
Bibi has stated that she is being persecuted for defending her faith to Muslim co-workers who claimed that Christianity was a "false religion." She was jailed days later, brought to trial and convicted for blasphemy.
The meeting between Cardinal Tauran and President Zardari, as well as the country's Minister for Religious Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti had already been on the calendar but the events surrounding Bibi provided greater relevance to their discussions, reported Vatican Radio.